Sanitary multi-port plug valves



Jan, 14, 1958 w. s. BAER, 512 2,819,867

SANITARY MULTI-PORT PLUG VALVES Filed Nov. 15. 1954 5'Sheets-Sheet 1 FIQ-l INVENTOR.

Jan. 14, 1958 w. s. BAER, SR 3,819,857

SANITARY MULTI-PORT PLUG VALVES Filed Nov. 15. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvrox.

WALTER s. BAER,SR.

Jan. 14, 1958 5 SheetsShe et 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1954 FIG. 8

IN VEN TOR. WALTER S.BAER,SR.

Jan. 14, 1958 w. s. BAER, sR- 2,819,867

SANITARY MULTI-POR'I PLUG VALVES Filed Nov. 15, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

WALTER S.BAER,SR.

Jan. 14, 1958 w. s. BAER, SR 2,819,867

SANITARY MULTI-PORT PLUG VALVES Filed Nov. 15. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIGJ l' f F l G 9- INVENTOR.

WALTER S..BAER,SR.

SANITARY MULTI-PORT PLUG VALVES Walter S. Baer, Sn, Yeadon, Pa.

Application November 15, 1954, Serial No. 468,892

6 Claims. (Cl. 251-183) This invention relates to valves and particularly to an improved sanitary multi-port plug valve intended for use in the milk dairies and other liquid food or beverage industries. It is also adaptable to the chemical or other industries by a mere change in the type of metals used for its fabrication. The present application is a continuation have been of such construction that when the plug ofthe valve is drawn down tight enough in the valve body, by means of the customary stud and nut provided at the bottom of the plug and body, to prevent leakage of the milk or other fluids it is impossible to freely operate the valve manually for opening and closing. Attendants or employees usually resort to a heavy hammer and pound on the provided plug lever or handle to operate the valve, thus badly marring or breaking off the lever and scoring the important bearing surface of the stainless steel plug and the mating surface of the stainless steel valve body. The small taper of the valve plug and the mating valve body seat, which is usually less than 7 degrees from a vertical line or less than an included angle of 14 degrees, causes a binding of the mating surfaces and this tendency is further enhanced by the seizing of stainless steel against stainless steel. Moreover, since all these sanitary plug valves must be dismantled and reassembled every day by employees for cleaning purposes in compliance with the sanitary code, there is considerable labor cost principally due to the use of the-said stud and nut at. the bottom of the plug and body, and the continuous regrinding or relapping of the said bearing surfaces of the present valves on an average of every ten days per .valve, according to dairy reports. This constant regrinding or relapping expense and nuisance of the present sanitary valves because of seizing or scoring of the stainless steel bearing surfaces are eliminated with the new valve invention because of its new features of the increased angle of the tapered bearing surfaces, the chromium plating of the said bearing surfaces and the constant, even bearing pressure provided by the specially designed coil spring, and the follower and clamp lever. An experimental model of this new sanitary plug valve invention has successfully undergone an actual working test in a large dairy plant, without leaking and without seizing or scoring during turning operations of the valve plug under full bearing pressure; in addition, the valve has been fully approved by milk control officers in compliance with sanitary code regulations. An important and novel feature of the said cam-type clamp lever at the bottom of the new plug valve, that eliminates the customary stud and nut, is the reduction of the time element and labor cost indismantling and reassembling the valve for cleaning purposes; also, this unique clamp lever, in conjunction Sttes Patent F 2,819,867 Patented Jan. 14, 1958 with the specially designed coil spring and the follower, by maintaining the constant, even bearing pressure between the tapered, mating bearing surfaces of the valve plug and valve body, thus eliminates the uncertainty of bearing pressures with the customary stud and nut.

A sanitary shut-off plug valve constructed in accordance with this invention will provide a valve plug and body seat taper of not less than 3 /2 inches to the foot or an included angle of approximately 16 /2 degrees, which has been found upon experimentation to be enough taper to relieve the binding or seizing tendency due to too small a taper or included angle for the mating surfaces. To further decrease the binding or seizing tendency and lower the sliding friction on the mating or bearing surfaces when turning the valve plug this new inven tion, for the 1% inch size plug valve, has a valve plug and body seat taper of approximately 6% inches to the foot with an included angle of approximately 3046 (or 1523 from a vertical line). In addition to the increased taper, the mating surfaces of the valve plug and valve body are provided with a hard chromium or stellite plating to further eliminate the former seizing effect of stainless steel sliding on stainless steel. Another feature of the new plug valve is the valve plug port opening indicators etched on the top of the valve plug to indicate the exact position of the valve plug port openings at any time, relative to the port openings of the valve body. The operation of turning the valve plug to provide required port openings for flow of fluid is accomplished by applying force to the handle of an open end wrench or a box wrench that fits the hexagon extension on the top of the valve plug; though the top of the valve plug may be provided with a handle or lever cast integrally with the valve plug, if ever preferred.

This invention is not confined to just the 3-way, 3-port sanitary plug valve as depicted in the accompanying drawings, but by the elimination of the side outlet it then becomes, with the valve plug changed to suit, a straightway plug valve, adaptable to both the sanitary food industry and all other fields of industry wherein such customary plug valves are used. Again, by the addition of a fourth outlet in the valve body and a simple redesign of the valve plug to include an extra port opening, the valve can be reconverted into a 4-way, 4-port plug valve, the rest of the newly invented and improved features remaining the same.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this valve invention will be'readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational cross sectional view of a 3- way, 3-port plug valve assembly constructed in accordance with the new valve invention and taken along line 11 of Fig. 4, showing the valve plug 19 in place in the valve body 12 and the clamp lever 28 depicted in the unlocked position and thus not depressing the follower 26 and the coil spring 25, nor drawing down and seating the valve plug 19 under bearing pressure; in this unlocked position the clamp lever 28 is easily removed by simply sliding the lever to the left, and then allowing the valve plug 19 to be withdrawn from the valve body 12 by means of the hand or finger grip 20 and 21 provided at the top of the valve plug 19; the acme-threaded and 45 recessed port outlets 13 and 17 of the valve body 12 are also partially shown in this view,

Fig. 2 is an elevational external view of the 3-way, 3-port, shut-off plug valve invention; the clamp lever 28 being shown in the locked position and its crossbar 3'7 engaging the hook extension 23 of the valve plug 19 and the points of the cam part past their dead center and depressing the follower 26 and coil spring 25 to draw down as the top view of the valve body 12 and its three acmethreaded port openings 13 and 17 for attachment of the customary union rings and tail pieces (sometimes named union nuts and recessed ferrules) of sanitary pipe lines in industry.

Fig. 4 is an elevational external view of the valve plug 19 and in addition to showing the aforementioned hand grip portion 20 and 21, the hexagonal wrench hold 22, the port openings 43 and their accompanying outlet chamfers 3t and the accurately ground and chromium plated bearing surface 31, the view also clearly depicts the round shank 33, of the hook extension 23, and which is an integral cast part of the valve plug 19; the reinforced portions of the hook 23 are shown at 24, while the rounded bottom 32 of the tapered bearing surface 31 of the valve plug 1? is provided to protect the bearing surface 14 of the valve body 12 during rapid reassembly of the plug valve after cleaning operations,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the valve plug 19 and illustrates the internal contour of the port openings 43; in addition it shows the hand grip shoulder 21, the hexagonal wrench hold 22, and the port opening position indicators 29.

Fig. 6 is an elevational external view of the coil spring 25, specially designed for low fiber stress, with ground ends 34 and having a A inch radii at the outer edges 35 of Fig. 7, and to clear the similar radius in the corner of the coil spring ledge 16 of the valve body 12 during rapid reassembly of the plug valve after cleaning operations,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the coil spring 25,

Fig. 8 is an elevational external view of the follower 26, showing the spigot part 27 and the dotted hole 36 for the passage of the hook 23 and round shank 33 of the valve plug 19,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the follower 26,

Fig. 10 is a side view of the cam type, clamp lever 28,

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the cam type, clamp lever 28 and also shows the crossbar 37 that engages the hook 23 of the valve plug 19 during the depressing operation of the follower 26 and coil spring 25.

Referring now in detail to the figures in the drawings, wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, there is shown a valve body generally indicated at 12 and including the circular port openings 13 with the 45 recessed outlets and the acme threads 17, the tapered and chromium plated bearing surface 14, the undercut surface 15, the coil spring ledge 16,-and the coil spring well or receptacle 18. The acme threads on the body outlets being provided for attachment by customary union nuts to the standard recessed ferrules that, in turn, are usually silver brazed to the ends of the sanitary tubing that is used to make up the pipe lines of any particular dairy or other liquid food plant.

The valve plug 19, that is installed in the valve body 12, is designed with a circular hand grip 2G and 21 at its top, and included wtih the top extension is a hexagonal part to provide a hold or fit for an open end wrench or a box wrench, to enable a torsional force to be applied to the plug top for rotary travel or turning operation of the face 31 to protect the valve body's bearing surface 14 during the rapid reassembly of the plug valve after cleaning, and the extended round shank 33 and book 23 and 24 as a cast, integral part of the valve plug 19 for engaging the clamp lever 28.

The coil spring 25 with specially ground ends 34 and chamfered edges 35 for fitting the corner of the valve bodys coil spring ledge 16 if hasty reassembly of the plug valve thrusts the coil spring'25 against a side wall of the spring well 18. The bodys ledge 16 must have a corner radius to eliminate lodging of bacteria as required by the sanitary code.

The follower 26, that serves to evenly depress the coii spring 25 under applied force by the clamp lever 28, is provided with a spigot end that fits closely to the accurately ground inner surface of the circular well 18, thus preventing tipping and binding of the spigot end 27 during applied cam action of the clamp lever 28; the follower also being provided with the center hole 36 for passage of the hook 23 and round shank 33.

en the valve plug 19 is installed in the valve body 12 the plug hook 23 extends through the coil spring 25 and the circular opening 36 of the follower 26, see Figure 1; then the crossbar 37 of the clamp lever 28 can engage the plug hook 23, and by operating the lever 28 and tuming it in a semicircle of approximately 180 the two points of its cam end can depress the follower 26 and coil spring 25, and thus draw down the valve plugs chromium plated bearing surface 31 until it fits snugly against the chromium plated valve body bearing surface 14, forming a leakproof joint; the coil spring 25 being properly designed to provide the required strength, but at low fiber stress for increased life, and provide the necessary hearing pressure between the surfaces 14 and 31 to render the valve leakproof, both the clamp lever 28 and the follower 26 being made of hard corrosion resisting steel for wearing and sanitary reasons.

Method of installing the sanitary multi-port plug valve in pipe lines: As previously mentioned the acme-threaded ends of the valves port outlets are simply attached to the pipes ferrules by the provided union nuts on the ends of the pipes. The overall length of the new sanitary plug valve being the same as present existing sanitary plug valves. The tapered, male ends of the existing ferrules fit into the recessed ends of the new plug valve to provide leakproof joints.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this new invention it is obvious that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings Without departing from the s irit and scope of the invention as claimed. It is therefore to be under stood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve comprising, in combination. a valve body having an internal sonically-shaped chamber communicating by means of openings in the side wall of the chamber with passages leading to the exterior of the said valve body, the taper of the inner wall or bearing surface of the said chamber being at least substantially 3% inches to the foot taper and/or all higher desired tapers, including tapers from eight to sixteen degrees to the vertical axis of the chamber, a valve plug in the chamber and dimensionally proportioned and tapered to match bearing surface of chamber and have a rotary sliding fit in the chamber, the contacting bearing surface portions of the inner chamber wall and the valve plug being plated with a hard metal to resist wear and lessen sliding friction, the valve plug further having a passage therethrough adapted in at least one position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to register with certain of the openings in the chamber to provide a communicating passage therebetween and in another position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to cut ofi such communicating passage, an axial extension on each opposite end of the valve plug projecting beyond the exterior of the valve body, the axial extension leading from the wider end of the valve plug having a circular neck portion providing a hand grip and terminating in a polygonally shaped extremity for wrench engagement, the axial extension leading from the smaller end of the valve body forming a shank and terminating in a hooked shaped extremity, a collar encircling the shank of the second mentioned extension near the hooked extremity thereof and being axially movable thereon, a coiled spring encircling the shank of the second mentioned extension and seated at one end on the valve body and on the other end on the collar, and a lever having one end interengaging between the hooked extremity of the second mentioned extension and the collar, said lever having the interengaging end thereof shaped with a cam surface such that upon swinging movement of the lever in one direction the collar is depressed and compresses the spring and causes the increased force resulting therefrom to be transmitted through the lever to the hooked extension of said shank in the direction to draw the valve plug into closer bearing contact with the wall of the chamber.

2. The valve described in claim 1 wherein there is provided a sleeve on the valve body surrounding the shank extending from the smaller end of the valve plug and also the encircling coiled spring and forming a well for the spring, and there is further provided an internal shoulder formed on the inner end of the sleeve which serves as the seat for the inner end of the coiled spring.

3. A valve comprising, in combination, a valve body having an internal conically shaped chamber communicating by means of openings in the side wall of the chamber with passages leading to the exterior of the valve body, a valve plug in the chamber and dimensionally proportioned and tapered to have a rotary sliding fit in the chamber, the valve plug having a passage therethrough adapted in at least one position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to register with certain of the openings in the chamber to provide a communicating passage therebetween and in another position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to cut ofi such communicating passage, an axial extension on each opposite end of the valve plug projecting beyond the exterior of the valve body, the axial extension leading from the wider end of the valve plug being shaped to receive turning forces for rotating the valve plug, the axial extension leading from the smaller end of the valve body forming a shank and terminating in a hooked shaped extremity, a collar encircling the shank of the second mentioned extension near the hooked extremity thereof and being axially movable thereon, a coiled spring encircling the shank of the second mentioned extension and seated at one end of the valve body and on the other end on the collar, and a lever having one end interengaging between the hooked extremity of the second mentioned extension and the collar, said lever having the interengaging end thereof shaped with a cam surface such that upon swinging movement of the lever in one direction the collar is depressed and compresses the spring and causes the increased force resulting therefrom to be transmitted through the lever to the hooked extension in the direction to draw the valve plug into closer bearing contact with the wall of the chamber.

4. A valve comprising, in combination, a valve body having an internal conically shaped chamber communicating by means of openings in the side wall of the chamber with passages leading to the exterior of the valve body, a valve plug in the chamber and dimensionally proportioned and tapered to have a rotary sliding fit in the chamber, the valve plug having a passage there-through adapted in at least one position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to register with certain of the openings in the chamber to provide a communicating passage therebetween and in another position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to cut off such communicating passage, an axial extension leading from the smaller end of the valve body forming a shank and terminating in a hooked shaped extremity, a collar encircling the shank of the extension near the hooked extremity thereof and being axially movable thereon, a helically coiled spring encircling the shank of the extension and seated at one end on the valve body and on the other end on the collar, and a member lever having one end interengaging between the hooked extremity of the extension and the collar, the interengaging end of the lever being shaped with a cam surface such that upon rotative movement of the lever in one direction the cam surface of the member slides across the collar depressing the same and compressing the spring and causing the increased spring pressure resulting therefrom to be transmitted to the hooked extension in the direction to draw the valve plug into closer bearing contact with the wall of the chamber, said lever being further shaped so as to abut a part of the valve body to terminate the rotative movement in said direction after the high point of the cam surface is slightly beyond the maximum depression of the spring so that the pressure exerted by the spring acts to restrain the lever from return rotative movement.

5. A valve comprising, in combination, a valve body having an internal conically shaped chamber communicating by means of openings in the side wall of the chamber with passages leading to the exterior of the valve body, a valve plug in the chamber and dimensionally proportioned and tapered to have a rotary sliding fit in the chamber, the valve plug having a passage therethrough adapted in at least one position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to register with certain of the openings in the chamber to provide a communicating passage therebetween and in another position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to cut off such communicating passage, an axial extension leading from the smaller end of the valve body forming a shank and terminating in a hooked shaped extremity, a collar encircling the shank of the extension near the hooked extremity thereof and being axially movable thereon, a helically coiled spring encircling the shank of the extension and seated at one end on the valve body and on the other end on the collar, and a member interengaging between the hooked extremity of the extension and the collar, said member shaped with a cam surface such that upon rotative movement of the member in one direction the cam surface of the member slides across the collar depressing the same and compressing the spring and causing the increased spring pressure resulting therefrom to be transmitted to the hooked extension in the direction to draw the valve plug into closer bearing contact with the wall of the chamber, the permissible rotative movement of the member in said direction carrying the high point of the cam surface slightly beyond the maximum depression of the spring so that the pressure exerted by the spring acts to restrain the member from return rotation.

6. A valve comprising, in combination, a valve body having an internal conically shaped chamber communicating by means of openings in the side wall of the chamber with passages leading to the exterior of the valve body, a valve plug in the chamber and dimensionally proportioned and tapered to have a rotary sliding fit in the chamber, the valve plug having a passage therethrough adapted in at least one position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to register with certain of the openings in the chamber to provide a communicating passage therebetween and in another position in the rotative movement of the valve plug to out 01f such communicating passage, a stem leading from the smaller end of 7 the valve body and having its terminal end provided with a transversely extending recess, a collar encircling the stem near the recessed end thereof and being axially movable thereon, a helically coiled spring encircling the stem and seated at one end on the valve body and on the other end on the collar, and a member having a cam portion received in said recess and engageable with the collar, said cam portion being shaped such that upon rotative movement of the member in one direction the cam portion slides across the collar depressing the same and compressing the spring and causing the increased spring pressure resulting therefrom to be transmitted to the stem in the direction to draw the valve plug into closer bearing contact with the wall of the chamber, the

8 permissible rotative movement of the member in said direction carrying the high point of the cam portion slightly beyond the maximum depression of the spring so that the pressure exerted by the spring acts to restrain the member from return rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,101,868 McCoy June 30, 1914 1,128,846 Carroll i Feb. 16, 1915 1,899,826 Rice Feb. 28, 1933 2,541,715 Oestreicher Feb. 13, 1951 2,584,161 Scherer Feb. 5, 1952 

